CVE-2017-15978 in School ERP PHP Script
Summary
by MITRE
AROX School ERP PHP Script 1.0 allows SQL Injection via the office_admin/ id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15978 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the AROX School ERP PHP Script version 1.0, specifically affecting the office_admin/id parameter. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of insecure input handling and demonstrates a fundamental failure in proper parameter validation and sanitization within the web application's backend processing logic. The issue arises from the application's inability to properly escape or validate user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL database queries, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to manipulate the underlying database operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the office_admin/id parameter, which serves as an entry point for attackers to inject malicious SQL commands into the application's database layer. When a user submits a value through this parameter without proper sanitization, the application directly incorporates this input into SQL query construction, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the database server. This flaw aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is used in SQL commands without proper escaping or parameterization. The vulnerability exists because the application relies on direct string concatenation rather than prepared statements or proper input validation mechanisms that would prevent malicious SQL code from being executed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with unauthorized access to the school's administrative database containing sensitive information such as student records, staff details, academic performance data, and financial information. An attacker could potentially extract all database contents, modify or delete critical educational data, and establish persistent access to the system through database-level backdoors. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1071.005 for application layer protocol usage and T1046 for network service discovery, as attackers would need to identify and exploit the vulnerable endpoint to gain deeper system access. The implications extend beyond simple data theft, as this could compromise the integrity and availability of educational administrative systems, potentially affecting student privacy and institutional operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements within the application architecture. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries using prepared statements to ensure that user-supplied data cannot be interpreted as SQL commands. Additionally, the application should employ proper error handling mechanisms that do not expose database structure information to end users. Security measures should include input sanitization routines, proper access controls, and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities throughout the codebase. Organizations should also implement network segmentation, database activity monitoring, and regular penetration testing to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The remediation process should follow industry standards such as OWASP Top Ten recommendations and NIST cybersecurity frameworks to ensure comprehensive protection against similar injection vulnerabilities in future iterations of the software.